Washington and Durham tumblers set for Spanish success

Three North East gymnasts, including one from Washington, have been selected for the Great Britain squad for European Tumbling Championships taking place in Valladolid in Spain.

Shanice Davidson, 15, from Washington, a silver medallist as a junior competitor in last year’s World Championships, has been named in the GBR Junior Team.

Rachel Davies, 17 from Langley Park, Durham, a silver medallist at last year’s World Championships, has been selected for the Senior GBR team in her second year as a senior competitor.

Georgia Clayton, 18 from Spennymoor, has been named as reserve for the senior team in her first competition as a senior competitor.

Rachel and Shanice will compete against senior and junior competitors from Denmark, Russia, Portugal, France, Ukraine, Armenia, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Belarus and Azerbaijan as they attempt to win medals and a place on the podium for Great Britain at the competition which takes place from. March 28 to April 3.

Deerness Gymnastics Academy head of tumbling, Glen Wharton, who has also been selected as a Great Britain coach at the competition, said: “Tumbling is going from strength to strength at both this club and at national level resulting in a lot of competition for places on the national squads. Just to be selected is a great achievement but we are training hard and focussed on performing at our best in Spain and hopefully that will bring the club and country success.

“Tumbling is not a high profile sport but we have hundreds of children and young people participating in acrobatics and tumbling at all levels at Deerness Gymnastics Academy every week.”